Yankees fans get the Aaron Judge news they've been waiting for

The New York Yankees' offense has been one of the worst in baseball without Aaron Judge. 

There's no way to sugarcoat it. 

Judge's absence left the Yankees without a feared slugger in the heart of the order, and Ben Rice's struggles didn't do the AL East club any favors. 

Last week, Judge played catch for the first time since going on the injured list on June 5 with a fractured rib. 

Now, New York's three-time MVP will take another major step towards returning to the field before the end of the regular season. 

"Aaron Judge will begin his hitting progression this week, [Aaron] Boone said," The Athletic's Chris Kirschner wrote on X. 

Obviously, this is positive news for Judge's rehab progression. However, there is no definite timetable for his return. 

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It may take a few weeks before Judge begins a rehab assignment, but Boone's latest update paints a clearer picture. 

If the Yankees can get Judge back in the lineup before the postseason, he could have enough time to get back into the swing of things at the plate. 

Truth be told, the Yankees may not advance far in the playoffs without a completely healthy Judge, even with a formidable pitching staff. 

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